Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by dysfunction in three core behavioral dimensions: repetitive behaviors, social deficits, and cognitive deficits. The repetitive behavior domain involves compulsive behaviors, unusual attachments to objects, rigid adherence to routines or rituals, and repetitive motor mannerisms such as stereotypies and self-stimulatory behaviors. The social deficit dimension involves deficits in reciprocal social interactions, lack of eye contact, diminished ability to carry on conversation, and impaired daily interaction skills. The cognitive deficits can include language abnormalities.
Autism, outside of its debilitating effect on afflicted individuals, has become an increasing social burden. It is estimated that some 500,000 to 1,500,000 people in the U.S. today have autism or some form of related pervasive developmental disorder. The high incidence rate makes autism one of the most common developmental disabilities. California has found an alarming increase in the number of requests for services for autistic children. The number of requests for treatment between 1987 and 1998 has increased 273%. In addition, the US Department of Education has reported a 556% increase in the number of autistic children in the years from 1991 to 1997.
In addition to autism, many other types of disorders include similar behavioral characteristics. Such disorders include Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), various types of eating disorders, Tourette's Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease and Down's Syndrome, for example. Individuals suffering from these disorders further tax the educational and health care systems and are without significant pharmacological options.
Oxytocin was one of the first peptide hormones to be isolated and sequenced. It is a nonapeptide with two cysteine residues that form a disulfide bridge between positions 1 and 6 (eds. Baulieu, E.-E. and Kelly, P. A. Hormones: From Molecules to Diseases, Hermann Publishers; 1990, 283). It is an extremely short-lived, fast acting hormone, made by the hypothalamus of the brain, stored in the posterior pituitary, and released into the blood as needed. It stimulates certain smooth muscle cells, constricts certain blood vessels, and facilitates the sensitivity of some tissues to other hormones and nerves. The main tissues affected are: uterus, including endometrium and myometrium, vaginal, breast (both sexes), erectile (both sexes), and seminal vesicles. Oxytocin has special effects on uterine muscle contractions in both birth and orgasm, the vascular constriction that lessens placental separation bleeding, and the let-down reflex that nursing mothers have when babies cry.
Oxytocin is currently indicated for stimulation of uterine contraction to induce labor, for the control of postpartum hemorrhage following delivery of the placenta and for stimulation of lactation for breast-feeding. Oxytocin is currently prepared synthetically and sold under various trade names including Pitocin® (Parke-Davis, Morris Plains, N.J.) and Syntocinon® (Novartis Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover, N.J.).
It has recently been suggested the peptides oxytocin and vasopressin may potentially contribute to the development of the repetitive behaviors found in autism spectrum disorder patients. The theory that deficiencies in the neural pathways for oxytocin could account for many aspects of autism including its early onset and predominance in boys and the manifestation of repetitive behaviors, cognitive deficits, alterations in neural development, and genetic loading has been proposed by several researchers.
When this theory was actually evaluated by measuring oxytocin levels in the plasma of autistic children, higher levels of oxytocin were found to correlate with lower interaction and daily living skills, as well as with an overall greater deficit in social awareness.
Unfortunately, there are currently few treatment options for children and adults suffering from autism or disorders with similar behavioral characteristics. An effective therapeutic is needed to help the growing number of children and adults living with these disorders and it would be advantageous to present a relatively simple treatment capable of reducing the detrimental behaviors associated with all of them.